October 2006
Listening For Lions, by Gloria Whelan: excellent! Good for older child, about racist themes, honesty, and love (194 pgs.)
Chasing Vermeer, by Blue Balliett: excellent! Fun for math ideas, art appreciation, mystery, codes, older child level (254 pgs.)
Seven Wonders of Sassafrass Springs, by Betty C. Birney: excellent! Fun
read-a-loud. Exciting underlying idea of finding “wonders” in our own
backyard, so to speak; fun to create theme of study on this (205 pgs)
My Father’s Dragon, by Ruth Stiles Gannett: fun and quick Good for read-a-loud for the whole family; about using your head, clever with a slight theme of disrespect for parents (74 pgs.)
The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho: fantastic! A thought-provoking, fable like tale of life, missions, distractions, and perspective. (164 pgs.)
The Comedy of Errors, by William Shakespeare: funny but a bit too asinine. Discourages
jumping to conclusions, encourages having a strong sense of judgment to
not be deeply affected by any rumor or have small instances blow out of
proportion. Also a good study on vocabulary. One of the least
meaningful of the Shakespeare plays I’ve read.
Parenting Breakthrough,
by Boyack (sp). Excellent, realistic ideas about how to teach your
children independence by teaching skills, accountability, and work
ethics by the time they leave your home. Also good ideas about teaching
money sense. (Approx 250 pgs.)
The Inside-Outside Beauty Book,
by Barbara Barrington Jones. Light, teenage-level about confidence and
beauty, dwells more on feelings of self-worth than outward beauty
tips...which is consistent with her premise that outer beauty is
reflected by inner beauty. Okay, easy read. (98 pages)
The Confident You,
by Barbara Barrington Jones. Much more practical and hands on than her
other book above, but the way she writes is often hard to follow, jumpy,
and overly sappy (but, again, better than in the previous book).
December 2006
No Doubt About It by Sheri Dew fantastic
Boy at War juvenile
fiction about the bombing of Pearl Harbor (read to preview for Kel)
alright. Not great morals or message, but minimally questionable read.
Bonds that Make us Free,
by Warner, fabulous, but not as readable as the Anatomy of Peace.
Harder to understand the overall concepts, but great, personally
affecting examples.
FableHaven,
Moss(?) Great fantasy book read-a-loud for youth. Fun characters with
themes of obedience and consequences for irresponsibility.
January 2007
Poison Study, an interesting fantasy book but with too much sensuality thrown it to ruin it. Didn’t read the next books in the series.
The Anatomy of Peace, by the Arbinger institute fabulous and life changing about being a better person
A Separate Peace,
February 2007
CFA Martin Luther King Jr. Excellent resource of black civil rights history. Great poems and song outlines inside.
The Unicorns of Balinor, mediocre youth fiction read. A little dark with gaps in the plot and too much predictability in the characters.
Flatland, by Abbott–an interesting satire that is mind-expanding about the concept of dimensions. About 100 pages.
The Kite Runner,
by Khaled Hosseini, a fictional look at the recent history of war-torn
Afghanistan. A story of two boys, their friendship and love betrayed by
self-doubt and jealousy. A story of forgiveness, and an interesting
look at the Afgani culture (written by an Afgani, so hopefully fairly
accurate). Disturbing scenes and language...not one I’ll read again,
but in many ways I am grateful for the glimpse. Around 400 pages.
March 2007
The Three Musketeers,
by Alexander Dumas. A somewhat shallow book about consistently bad
examples of good virtues. One good quote: (pg. 241) “A rogue does not
laugh in the same way that an honest man does; a hypocrite does not shed
the same tears as a sincere man. All falsehood is a mask, and however
well made the mask may be, with a little attention we may always
distinguish it from the true face.” 626 pages.
The VonTrapp Family Singers,
by Maria Von Trapp. Great, with good ideas of education, family
traditions, and music. A nice, positive account of Catholicism. A
little over 300 pages.
Gooney Bird Greene, by Lois Lowry. Youth, 86 pages. Great introduction to story telling.
A Week in the Woods,
by Andrew Clements. About 200 pages. Young adult story with excellent
themes about responsibility for personal behavior, the positive effect
of hands on work/learning, survival skills, and benefits of allowing
children unstructured time.
More Team Building Challenges, a great book for ideas about group games/challenges.
April 2007
The Thomas Jefferson Education Home Companion,
by Diann Jeppson and the DeMille’s. Pretty good...I liked the parts
that the DeMille’s wrote particularly, and felt that Diann’s part came
across a bit overbearing.
Fairest,
by Gail Larson Levine. 326 pages. Engaging book, clean, and
interesting twist of how much are we compelled to do or really just
think we have to do. Also, thought-provoking concepts of our gifts, how
we use them and take care of them, etc.
May 2007
The Five People You Meet in Heaven,
. About 200 pages, I didn’t finish (about 50 pages from the end)
due to the overly dramatic, crass way he wrote. The story didn’t seem
to provide closure or healing as the main character looked back at his
experiences, which is what I think the author was trying to do.–I
finished this in July...it was better towards the end, but it was as
though the author was trying to hard to make it a classic, moving
story...and came short.
The Explosive Child,
Ross W. Greene, c. 1998. Interesting book about how to prevent,
anticipate, and deal with explosive, inflexible children. I only read
one third, skimmed another third, and didn’t read the end due to the
persistent recounting of terrible swear words “in dialogue”. I
understood his premise and methods only after trudging through the mire
of self-conceit, excessive examples (pertinent perhaps to school
age/older children), and repetitive conclusions. P 332
July 2007
Captains Courageous,
by Rudyard Kipling. 189 pages. A book that captures the flavor of sea
life, complete with difficult to follow dialogue (not easily suitable
for younger readers for that reason). The last thirty pages or so
really completes the book as a statement of the power of work and
discipline on the positively shaping of a young man into a man of
confidence and power.
Shiloh,
approx 200 pages. Story about a young boy who hides a dog from an
abusive master. I don’t agree with the author’s resolution or ending
statement of how sometimes right and wrong don’t stay the same. The
boy, although troubled by the lies he tells to keep the dog, seems to
toe the line of integrity in appearances and seems to feel that the end
justifies the means. There are quite a few good discussion questions in
the end of the version I read, though, and it did help me understand a
bit more the possible bond between a person and an animal.
The Secret Life of Bees,
by Sue Monk Kidd, 302 pgs. An interesting story about a young woman
discovering the truth about her past during the time when the Civil
Rights Act was passed. It is in many ways a beautiful tale about
relationships, racial issues, and developing into womanhood. It
explores the bond between women as they seek to comfort and teach each
other, as they work and worship together, and the beauty and healing of
forgiveness, unconditional acceptance, empathy and love. The themes
of the value and nature of motherhood and womanhood are strongly
developed in such a way to enable to reader to explore her own feelings
on the matter. Although the language was a bit too brazen about Lily’s
images of herself and the book had vulgarity throughout, the language of
nature (the bees, the river, the seasons, etc) was poetic and helped
create a nest, a safe environment for Lily to grow, develop and learn to
love and be loved. It was a very empathetic novel, more suitable to an
older teen or adult
A
few parts that I liked out of the book: Lily, describes how she
refrains from throwing a fit because she knows it doesn’t do any good or
change anything, so she lets out her frustration in a long sigh. What a
great lesson. I could have read the whole book just for that line.
“Nobody’s
perfect. You just have to close your eyes and breathe out and let the
puzzle of the human heart be what it is.” (Pg 285)
The Miracle of Forgiveness,
by Spencer W. Kimball, pg 360 (approx.) A very no-nonsense look at the
gospel and the need for each of us to seek forgiveness, and the way to
do it. Powerful in many ways. I liked the quotes on not limiting the
number of children which came at a time when I needed to hear it. It
took a long time, but it was worth it.
August 2007
The Fourth Turning,
by Strauss and Howe, pg 340 (approx.) Fabulous, paradigm-changing read
about historic cycles, with marvelous information that captures the
vibrance of lives and “eras” gone by...and yet to be? The ideas the
authors present give hope in times of “unraveling” values, as well as
giving value to individual lives and personalities.
Up From Slavery,
by Booker T. Washington, pg 214. More about freedom from the slavery
of ignorance, prejudice, physical passion/laziness, and covetousness
than from physical slavery. Great model for developing a school that
teaches work along with “official” education (Greek & Latin).
Themes: work, freedom, slavery, independence.
The Silent Gondoliers,
by William Goldman, pg 110. A few swear words, written in Goldman’s
saucy tones. Wonderful story with the thought provoking idea, “How can
the removal of beauty from a world so lacking in beauty be anything but
tragic?...And can the loss of beauty be anything but bad?...That is for
you to decide.” My decision, yes, if it is replaced by something even
more noble or beautiful, such as sacrifice and love. The Gondoliers
replaced something that brought them vanity and separateness one from
another and replaced it with something noble and self-sacrificing, which
brought them together. How can it not be good create unity? In light
of the Fourth Turning...I sound like someone living in the first
turning... “unity is essential!” not someone from the Unravelling
“everything for the individual!” I wonder if this book gains popularity
at different times in history...
Also
a book to look at how an individual’s life can be so tragically
bad/unfortunate despite great labors to overcome adversity, and still
have a great impact on others.
Sometimes I feel like Luigi...no matter what I do, I cannot fix me. I am grateful for the Atonement of Christ that enables my life to be valuable.
Wild Swans: Three daughters of China,
by Jung Chang, pg 508. A brutally succinct depiction of the evolution
of Chinese life from under the empirical “warlords”, to the Kuomintang,
to the Communists. The instability of their lives, literally at the
whim and mercy of the current power, was incredible. It made me see how
someone could
accept communism as a possible option. It also made me think about how
much it mirrors the law of Consecration...only that would only be
effective with a righteous judge and ruler...which the Chinese never
had. A memoir. I felt like it was a great overall impression of
Chinese history...kind of a “feel of a country in a nutshell”...but, of
course, I have nothing to compare it to. ☺
September
Fascinating Womanhood:
by Andelin, pg approx 3-400. Read half-way, skimmed the rest (was
repetitive in examples & ideas). Book with great underlying message
about how men want to be admired and women like to be cherished with
ideas to go about doing this. Be cautious about recommending this
one...without a good core, this book can be demeaning and destructive to
a woman and her identity & relationship with her husband.
October 2007
The Mourning Dove: A Story of Love,
by Larry Barkdull, pg 86. A symbolic tale about a boy living with his
grandfather after the death of his parents. The overall message
parallels the Atonement, and how, even when we do wrong, the price has
been paid so that we may do better, live better, and become more. Nice
story.
November 2007
Alas, Babylon, by Pat Frank, pg. approx 200. Great book about an apocalyptic event and what might happen to society and individuals as they try to cope with it. Young adult suitable.
“Mr. President–a book of US Presidents” Scholastic Biography,
pg. 175, by George Sullivan, which was a quick, seemingly non-partial
overview of our presidents, their main strengths and weaknesses while in
office. Great youth non-fiction read.
To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, pg 322. Wonderful! This
book has so many great themes and topics of discussion from honor,
integrity, seeing people for who they are/not judging, prejudice,
fairness, parenting, living responsibly...so many! Some of the
discussions and language may not be age appropriate for younger readers. I
was amazed at the messages of education (home education in particular),
seeing the beauty of others or "walking in their shoes", integrity,
parenting and tolerance that were so simply put forth in those pages.
Another personal classic!
The Abolition of Man, by C.S. Lewis, pg 87. Great
(albeit complicated) reflections on the importance of teaching morality
in schools through reading and discussions. Read it twice to get it
better. Plough through the first time!
December 2007
Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee,
approx 600 by Dee Brown. I skimmed through this one. While it is
interesting and truly heart-wrenching to read about the sad accounts of
the American Indian, I have honestly skimmed and jumped because it is
literally the same thing, over and over again. This book would be a
good reference when studying the degeneration of a particular tribe, or
if one needed to catalogue all the terrible things people have done in
the name of government with the motivation of wealth. However, it
hasn’t really changed anything for me. I still feel pity for what
happened, but hearing fifty different ways about how white men maimed
and brutalized women and children hasn’t done much for me. Read after
referencing 1 Ne 13:13-15, which, much like the Jewish atrocities,
doesn’t justify
it, but perhaps explains how time and again the American Indians
suffered defeat. I loved the quotes in the book, elucidating the
connection of that people to their land and families. The last section
about “the Messiah” made me think about the caution to us about false
Messiahs raised in the last days, who will lead many astray. Despite
the obvious falsity of the situation, it was eye-opening how many truths
about His coming still were latent among the people. This book
reminded me of the other book I’m currently reading, Kon Tiki that refers to the ancestral “white” race of Polynesian tradition.
I Am A Mother,
by Jane Clayson Johnson, pg 128. Great book with collection of quotes
and experiences that help women see the joy in the “mundane” of
motherhood. ☺ An empowering statement of our divine worth and
significance.
Kon-Tiki,
by Thor Heyerdahl, pg 230. I just skimmed this–it was a book trying to
prove how the population of the Polynesian islands could have come in
part from South America. He used archeological connections,
similarities in diet, language, and religion, not to mention traditions
that stated “white ancestors came from the east over the big water”. In
order to prove his theory, Thor gathered some men, crafted a raft
comparable to what they believe could have been employed by primitive
peoples in South America, and then sailed across, propelled by nothing
more than the current and prevailing winds, living off items available
to ancient Americans. It has many interesting notes about sea life,
survival, and testing a hypothesis scientifically.
Gathering Blue, by
Lois Lowry, pg 215. Good book, if grounded in Core. Many potentially
controversial subliminal messages about blind obedience, dangers of
tradition, and questioning authority. I enjoyed it immensely, the idea
of gifts, personal vision, and value of tolerance, love and kindness
have on the structure of society.
Goose Girl,
pg approx 300. Fascinating re-telling of Grimm’s “Goose Girl”. A
story about realizing inner potential, finding our own gifts, and how to
use and contribute. Different ideas about leadership, educating
ourselves for a purpose, having integrity, and loyalty are strongly and
well presented.
January 2008
The Virginian,
by Owen Wister, approx 400 pages. A five Pillar GWC “Classic”, which I
thought was poorly written. While it may accurately capture the life,
personality, and diction of an American Cowboy, I saw little to emulate
and didn’t like the conclusions of justice.
Geronimo, Childhood of Famous American Series, approx 200. Great account of Geronimo’s possible childhood–a quick, fun read for 8-12 y.o. boys.
Nectar in a Sieve,
by Kamala Markandaya, pg 186. I really liked this book, its themes of
quiet contentment and beauty among trying conditions of poverty and
persecution, until I discovered...on the last page...that it was a
fiction. While I could have found this out earlier, I didn’t, and
looking back find some of the examples pretentious. If they were
examples out of a real life, I can understand it, but now I wonder about
the accuracy of the portrayal of an Indian woman living in poverty.
Some of the major themes were: one of waiting, calm acceptance of
terrible things that happen in our lives; finding joy in the simple
things of earth and family; the question of how valuable a knowledge of
our own impotence can be–will it just make us frustrated and discontent
vs our previous calm resignation. “What more is there? What more can I
do? It is how things are.” It is a beautiful book, though, the beauty
of a life simply and completely lived with integrity to one’s personal
convictions.
A Winter’s Tale,
by Shakespeare. Quick, insightful read about the consequences of rash
behavior and the inherent value of a person true to their qualities,
birth, and station.
February 2008
To Destroy You is No Loss, by JoAn D. Criddle, The story of Teeda Butt Mam.
This is a powerful, simply told account of a young woman and her
family in the face of changing governments, the most “remarkable” of
which was the Khmer Rouge, a communist dictatorship that killed hundreds
and thousands of Cambodian people. This was not an issue of racial or
even cultural prejudice–it was simply the desire of a small group of
people to exercise control and authority over another. With a
population of approximately 8 million, 50,000 soldiers and leaders of
the Khmer Rouge were able to manipulate them with false promises,
deception and brutality. Remarkably “clean” for a book about a
genocide; a powerful testimony of the importance of preserving freedom
when you can is easier than taking it back later,...further, the
importance of intelligent awareness of government and caution against
taking the “safer” way out. They continually held to empty promises
and hope, having given no foundation to believe the regime.
Princess Academy, Shannon Hale, pg 314. Wonderful
story about a young woman who finds her place in society. Rampant with
values and standards I myself hold dear; captivating and page-turning.
Ideal young adult fiction. Captures the value of an education in many
areas to become a “capable princess”...the desire of any young maid ☺.
March 2008
A Heart Like His,
by Virginia H. Pearce. Pg 106. Quick, anecdotal read which I have had
people refer to me as “life-changing”. While I found some good ideas
in it, it wasn’t transforming, as I have come to many of the same
conclusions already. It did have truth in it.
Laddie, by Gene Stratton-Porter.
April 2008
Leadership and Self Deception,
Great book about self-deception and the powerful, proactive role we can
have in relationships. Written in the context of a business, but
applied to personal relationships
Anatomy of Peace, by the Arbinger Institute. A companion book to Leadership and Self-Deception.
May 2008
O Pioneer!,
by Willa Cather, pg 169. “O Pioneer!” by Willa Cather, and I didn’t
really care for how it ended. It didn’t bother me that some of the
characters died–it was more the drama that seemed to take away from the
statement the first part of the book was making about the character of
pioneers, their ties to the land, and the vision they cherished. I did
love the book, though. It taught the incorrectness (appropriate
consequences perhaps?) of immorality, without graphic detail, no
language that I could recall, and was an interesting study in human
behavior/response to adversity/hard work/prosperity.
Enna Burning,
by Shannon Hale, approx 270 pages. A follow-up with the tale of Goose
Girl, with one of the characters from that book. Interesting dialogue
about personal will-power, “victimization”, accountability. It also
addresses guilt over misdeeds and the role that can play in our lives,
healthy or otherwise. Great young adult book, with a tiny insinuation
of some romantic, adult overtures that are open to individual
interpretation.
June 2008
River Secrets,
by Shannon Hale, pg 290. Alright, but definitely not as good as the
other two in this “series”. It was nice to see the drawing together of
Enna and Finn, but the story wasn’t as meaningful. A coming of age book
for “Razo”, the main character, and how he found his own place, but not
in a transforming way–rather, by way of a realization of his inherent
qualities.
My Antonia,
by Willa Cather, pg 228. Not as good as “O Pioneer!” by a long shot in
terms of prarie/pioneer imagery, but I felt like the last look at
Antonia with her family made it worth reading this time. I loved the
image of her and her glowing, healthy family at the end. Her strength,
vivacity, and passion for her family produced such a marvelous home
environment.
The Good Earth,
by Pearl S. Buck, pg 260. A fair book, although not as good as “Wild
Swans” about Chinese society. The portrayal of Chinese actions was
accurate, if you didn’t mind the Christian overtones with relation to
temperance, fidelity, chastity, following good examples, idleness,
pride, ingratitude...these weren’t spelled out, per se, but strongly
hinted at, whereas I don’t know that any of the characters would have
been troubled with such thoughts, or the negative outcome as
dramatically depressing. (Quinn said the book should have ended halfway
through.) Definite adult themes, particularly in the last part of the
book, that were dwelt upon too much.
July 2008
Common Sense, by Thomas Paine pg. 58 less commentary. Amazing, powerful. Great expression of phrases of freedom.
The Voyage of Patience Goodspeed,
by Heather Vogel Frederick, pg 213. A great young adult read
(recommended to me by Tova), about a girl who loves mathematics and her
adventure on the high seas on a whaling ship. Meaningful comments about
family relationships, friendship, determination, along with a seemingly
accurate portrayal of life/terminology would be like aboard a whaling
vessel.
Five Little Peppers and How they Grew,
by Margaret Sidney, pg 276. Originally I thought it too slow, boring
and sappy for the kids to enjoy, but they implored me to keep reading
it. While it is slow, the strong messages of love and joy in
simplicity/poverty are neat, and provide great discussion. The kids
drew their own conclusions that wealth was not everything and can in
fact be limiting, although that was not clearly presented.
Princess: the real life story of women in Saudi Arabia, very graphic, depressing book...I was unable to get much further than pg 50 of it.
A wrinkle in Time, an interesting commentary on a socialistic society.
August 2008
1776, by David McCullough. Excellent and inspiring!
The Real Thomas Jefferson,
by a bunch of people. Long, fabulous collection of source material to
review Jefferson’s remarkable life. Skimmed, absorbed,
devoured...fabulous.
Founding Mothers,
by Cokie Roberts. Poorly organized and written, almost tabloid
fashion. Interesting quotes about these amazing women, but told in the
light of “the founding fathers were pathetic and needed the women to
keep it all together. It would have been better told, I believe, with
less condescension in the accounts of the men. Many lines like, “the
women did all the work to keep it all running, balancing everything
because they didn’t know better and it was tradition for them to be repressed.” Perhaps I am coming across a bit strong, but I feel that these vibrant amazing women knew exactly the sacrifice they were making, and they chose to do so.
A Tale of Two Cities,
by Dickens. Amazing, powerful flowing read about a sweeping time, that
ends remarkably filled with hope, despite the tragic circumstances of
the novel. Characters quick, real, and many searching thoughts about
personal responsibility in society, the power of one, how do we respond
in the face of tragedy, perilous times...does it bring out our best?
The role of God, and how, unfortunately, easily He can be replaced, etc.
Amazing book.
September 2008
The Last Lecture,
by Randy Pausch. A quick, nice read about a man and his last
reflections before dying of cancer at a somewhat young age. Not
profound, per se, but not a waste of time.
October 2008
The Seer and the Sword,
Victoria Hanley, pg 320 (approx). Fabulous fantasy book, with great
atypical plot varying from the “hero-quest” outline. Engaging, noble
characters, wonderful concepts of peace/war and the importance of peace,
clean. Good young adult/adult read.
Love Comes Softly,
by Janette Oke, pg 237. Enjoyable love story, not your typical
“romance”, but about development/ relationship building. The man
reminded me a lot of Quinn, with his patience/forbearance. Very clean,
and simple.
Tuesdays With Morrie,
by Mitch Albom, pg 192. Similar to “The Last Lecture”, about a dying
man imparting wisdom to those coming afterwards, with a detailed
depiction of his slow deterioration with the ALG disease.
The Illiad,
by Homer, pg 630. Interesting themes of war, fate, and honor. It was a
great documentation of family histories/geneology,
theology/folklore/tradition, knowledge (anatomy, culture), and fabulous
imagery. (Akhilles was a whiner.)
The Communist Manifesto,
by Karl Marx. Interesting read, in light of how he plays on people’s
fears of inadequacy and that other’s (the “leaders/nobility/upper
classes/etc.) are seeking to take advantage of them, and uses twisted
logic to justify why he (and other self-proclaimed “sympathetic”
authorities) should decide what is best for everyone.
Hamlet,
by Shakespeare. The best read yet! I think I developed a better
understanding of the greatness of Hamlet in his cautious desire to do
what was right, torn between his ties to the throne, his mother, and his
dead father crying for revenge. He must examine certain absolutes in
his life and decide if they are based in truth and what his actions
should be in relation to them.
The Naming,
Allison Cronin pg 456 (about). Good book, probably not worth reading
again, although has an interesting twist on the usual fantasy set-up,
and most of the “bad guys” aren’t too dark. No real moral/lesson..
Healer’s Keep,
approx 350 pages, by Victoria Henley. Not as good as “The Seer and the
Sword” (it’s precursor), but still an excellent read. Too much surreal
magical imagery in the end with little logic. The typical “my obscure
magic trumps your obscure magic by hitherto unknown magical laws.”
November 2008
The Light of the Oracle, approx 350 pages, by Victoria Henley. Better than Healer’s Keep and only very loosely related. I liked the themes of integrity and honor in the face of peer pressure that were well presented.
Princess Academy,
314 pages, Shannon Hale. Again, a wonderful read, and I enjoyed even
moreso the themes of family,community, and the power of knowledge in
these pages..
The Riddle,
Allison Cronin. Didn’t finish...too much the classic quest, skeptical
hero in the face of overwhelming odds discovering their powers as the
only miraculous way to save the world. The characters were alright,
but the author spent too much time describing things in mysterious,
cryptic ways. A great deal of repetition in the thought processes and
actions of the characters.
The Apology, by
Plato (10 pages). Wonderful account of Socrates “defense”. It seems
more like his chance to bear his final witness of the truth of what he
sought to do...there is nothing “apologetic” about it ☺. Fabulous
quotes, and situation similar to Abinadi’s final moments...powerful.
Ella Enchanted,
by Gail Larson Levine, pg around 350. Great story (better than
“Fairest”) that is nothing like the movie. The heroine is genuine, the
prince real, and the story engaging. I loved her integrity and the
sincerity of the main characters. There are definitely some lacking
characters, but they are never put forth as admirable. Seeking the
underlying goodness in people seems to be an emphasis of Levine, as well
as the emptiness of pride and vanity and position.
The Hiding Place,
by Corrie Ten Boom, pg 220.Amazing, life-changing book each time I read
it. Powerful concepts of forgiveness equaling peace, forgiveness that
comes only from God, the power of one, of love, of prayer, of faith.
Favorite (of many) “Christ has died for them, dare I demand more?” We
must forgive...what more can we exact/demand for vengeance?
December 2008
Reviving Ophelia: saving the selves of our adolescent girls,
Mary Pipher, PhD pg 293. Great book for a glimpse into how horrific the
teenage years can be. The first 3/4ths is sometimes disturbing, and
self-aggrandizing on the part of the author, however the final 1/6th is
redeeming for the book and very enlightening.
Two from Galilee-mediocre
fictitious book about Mary and Joseph. I felt a bit uncomfortable with
the endless focus on consummating the marriage ☹
Plato’s Republic-fascinating account of “what is justice?” and is it worth it to have it in society.
The Book Thief (½-way through) fictitious story about Germans and Jews in Germany in WWII.
January 2009
Multiple Intelligences-insightful,
albeit long-winded treatise on different learning styles in children
and how we can increase the learning capacity of an individual by
teaching them in their unique style.
The Apple-Pip Princess, fabulous children’s book about what someone can do to restore a country with just a little seed!
Aristotle-Politics
book 1 and Ethics book 1-interesting insights into the purpose of
society, purpose of man, and how they should interact.
Plutarch’s Lives,
Pontilus and Numa (I think). A great compare and contrast of the
tyrannical socialistic government that intrusively dictated the lives of
the subjects and a ruler that sought to educate the people and inspire
them to be better.
February 2009
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society,
approx 260 pages. Enjoyable historical fiction, in the style of
letters back and forth. It is a speculation of what it might have been
like on the Channel Islands during WWII under the occupation of the
Germans.
Locke Treatise on Civil Government.
Interesting presentation on society, it’s purpose, Natural Law/state
of Nature, what is “just” or “right” within societies: parental rights,
slavery, conquest, forms of government, etc.
The Hero and the Crown,
by Robin McKinley, approx. 300 pages. Not as good as I remember it
being: too ethereal and mystic and nature in its conclusion...the usual
fantasy “cop-out”. Even the characters didn’t really change or develop.
Going to D.I.!
God’s Smuggler,
by Brother Andrew and the Merrills. Approx 350 pages. Fantastic read
about a gentleman “called” to deliver Bibles behind the Iron Curtain.
Completely without soliciting funds or sustaining a job, this man goes
out on faith and the Lord provides a way for him to do His work. It
reminds me a great deal of Corrie Ten Boom’s story in “The Hiding
Place”. The Merrills helped him print and publish it, but it is a
narrative of his story. He experienced WWII first-hand in Holland, as
well as military experience in Dutch Indonesia. His travels have taken
him throughout Eastern Europe, Russia, China, and even Cuba...always
delivering Bibles and sharing “God’s greetings from Holland” ☺.
Bastiat’s Essay on “The Law”. Amazingly
readable and relevant to today’s issues and arguments against
socialism. Highly recommended to anyone who will try it ☺. Approx. 45
pages in my copy.
March 2009
Till We Have Faces,
C.S. Lewis. Excellent, thought-provoking book about what it takes to
understand our divine heritage/religious perception of God...how we
cannot identify our God and His role in our lives and the world around
us until we know ourselves. (See notes in “Til we have faces” notes)
Aristotle: Politics
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,
by Boyne. Fabulous and powerful. Excellent book about how we can
support fences around us, that separate us from those others may see as
“not equal” or even “not human”; how society can seek to justify
terrible things.
The Ordinary Princess-one of my favorite books of all time!!
April 2009
Plato’s Republic
Machievelli: The Prince
An interesting political mind-set basically embodying “the end
justifies the means” and what one must do to maintain power (ruthlessly,
at times, if necessary).
Tiger Rising, by Kate DiCamillo A young adult book that doesn’t really say
much, but has great potential for learning about life, relationships,
stereotypes, mourning, loss, friendship, responsibility, family.
May 2009
The Wonder of Boys, by Michael Gurian,
pg 265 notes on this in the “parenthood” notes section. Interesting,
but has some ideas that I definitely don’t agree with. However, I think
it was worth the read and the perspective it had into boy-ness ☺.
Fairest, by Gail Carson Levine. Alright fantasy book about the role of beauty verses other talents and inner beauty.
Red Scarf Girl,
autobiography by Li Ji Liang (?). Emotion-stirring account of a girl
who lived through the Cultural Revolution at ages 11-14. It captures
her belief in communism and frustration at trying to be her best in a
system that doesn’t accept her because of her ancestor’s place as
landowners.
The School Story,
by Andrew Clements. Nice story about the process of getting a work
published, role of an agent and editor, and a little theme about
friends. Too much bossiness and not very real relationships compared to
other Clements’ stories I have read.
June 2009
Door in the Wall (listened
to) middle age time frame great book about responsibility, coming of
age, the vale of learning...young adult book. Many references to God
and faith in Him.
Around the Great Horn Spoon (listened to) the book behind Bullwhip Griffeth movie, fun book about the gold rush environment.
Mao’s Last Dancer,
Good book...very much like “Wild Swans”, “Red Scarf Girl”, and “The
Good Earth” by Buck. I didn’t finish reading it right now, but it had
neat themes of family and loyalty.
Red Sails to Capri,
a fun adventure book about three men who come to an island and
challenge a long-standing superstition, and the courage of a young
family in supporting them. (Young adult/late reader chapter book).
Do Hard Things,
by Alex and Brett (?). Approx. 240 pgs. An amazing, paradigm shifting
book about the misuse/mistreatment of the “teenager”, and how actively
doing hard
things by choice can be powerful and produce amazing results in this
age group that has been severely “dumbed down” and underestimated.
Three Cups of Tea,
I read about 1/3 of it before stopping, knowing I will read it later
for a book club. A neat book about the determination and ability of one
man to make a difference in the lives of rural Afghanistan by creating
schools for children, particularly young girls. Highly recommended by
Niesha Richardson.
Chasing Vermeer, by Blue Balliett. Re-read this fantastic book for a youth group I am doing in the fall.
Messenger,
by Lois Lowry. A great book that wraps up the trilogy begun with “The
Giver” and talks about the harmful effects of arrogance, it’s twin
sister disdain, and bigotry.
July 2009
Against the Pollution of I:
by Jacques Lusseyran. Fabulous book about the role of sight in our
lives, the pollution of distraction, and finding our inner, true selves.
(Notes in “Random Book Notes”)
So you want to raise a Boy? by W. Cleon Skousen. Unfinished, but a fascinating read!
A Summer to Die,
by Lois Lowry. An interesting young adult book. Some of the themes
are more adult (strong feminist, not so strong moralistic), but it also
has a touching way to depict what it is like to lose a sibling to a slow
death. It is also an interesting sibling portrayal, has meaningful
relationships, a great message about beauty, and depicts well the
process and passion for photography.
A letter to Mrs. Roosevelt,
by C. Coco De Young. A quick youth fiction about life in the Great
Depression, but the story line was lacking of content, character
development, and good qualities/examples. The ending was a trifled
contrived and basically “big brother (or sister in this case) will bail
you out, and life will be perfect, despite your irresponsibility in
borrowing.)
Book of a Thousand Days,
by Shannon Hale. pgs=305. A decent read, but lacking in real content.
Decent enough love story, with an idea of value based on internal
ability vs. society recognition. Safe ☺.
August 2009
Mere Christianity: skimmed it again...fantastic!
When Bad Things Happen to Good People,
a rabbi. Alright book. Very thought-provoking with some definite
truths mired amongst some blatant fallacies about God and His
“inability” to take care of people or prevent bad things from happening
and how we should “forgive Him” for not doing anything to prevent bad
things from happening...as though we were entitled to a life free from
pain and suffering in order to make us better...
Reaching for Sun,
by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, pg. 182. Wonderful book with a great insight
into the mind of people with handicaps. Written in poem form. Great
young adult book recommended by Tova. I loved it.
September 2009
Lincoln, from the Landmark series...hard reading for Knights of Freedom, but pretty succinct.
The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver. An interesting book...not much plot but more of an anthropologic (?) work, a statement of existence.
October 2009
Reviewed “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society”...enjoyed the letter form and reality of the characters.
November 2009
The Road Less Traveled,
by M. Scott Peck. 316 pgs. Amazing book. Difficult read. Life
changing. Of course I don’t agree with everything in it, but for the
most part, quite the book!
Our Town,
by Thornton Wilder. 120 pages. Quick, delicious read to capture some
rather profound thoughts about life, death, love, youth, innocence,
“small town mentality”, appreciation.
The Cellist of Sarajevo,
by Steven Galloway 250 pgs. Loved it...a lot like the Book Thief.
Great tones of ownership of attitude and action despite oppressive
government.
The Hunger Games,
pg. 350? by Collier. Interesting and engaging, although a little too
much “Lord of the Flies” for me. The main character started out seeming
to want to protest the dictator government that created the terrible
situation, but seemed to go along with it too far into the book for my
taste. I didn’t finish it with the ongoing “kids killing kids”.
The White Giraffe,
pg. 190 by Lauren St. John. Alright older child read, although the
characters were a bit too mean and vindictive than I thought needed to
be. The resolution too contrived and the main character seemed to do a
lot of justification of bad behavior (disobedience, deception, etc.).
The Battle of Britain,
by Quentin Reynolds, Landmark book series, 177 pgs. I liked it.
Supposedly the author was an American war correspondent in Great
Britain. Some great accounts of heroism. Some dishonesty (the
Americans lying about flight experience to get in, but it was
acknowledged), and even one reference to a Mormon from Utah in it ☺. It
was great to see the courage of Churchill and others in the beleaguered
city of London.
Tuck Everlasting,
by Natalie Babbitt, pg 139. Interesting but not much to it. I wonder,
though, if the ending would have been the same...would the woman have
killed the man, without having stepped outside into their timeless
existence...could her feelings about the sanctity of life have been
somewhat jaded after seeing her family’s own inability to die? However,
they still seemed emotionally invested in others...but how deep was it?
They left Winnie reluctantly, yet, how long did they wait to come back
for her? What was their response? Was their life as meaningful,
living forever? “You can’t have living without dying, ...You can’t call
it living, what we got. We just are, we just be, like rocks beside the road...I want to grow again, to change.” (pg 64)
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